Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Brian Stelter has a good read in the NYT about CNN's ratings decline, saying they've conceded first place to Fox and now seem to be letting second place in cable news belong to MSNBC. He also wrote that a source told him:

"Jim Walton, who oversees all of the CNN networks, and his boss, Phil Kent, who runs the Turner Broadcasting division of Time Warner, were under “intense pressure” to raise the ratings this spring. "

And Stelter quoted an industry analyst who agreed with what we have said here before:

About half of CNN Worldwide’s revenues come from subscription fees. Cable and satellite operators pay the equivalent of 57 cents per subscriber per month for CNN, according to Derek Baine of SNL Kagan. Mr. Baine said he doubted that low ratings would diminish CNN’s subscription fees, even years from now. “They have a powerful brand name and are part of a big media company with a lot of leverage,” he said.Inside CNN, that brand name is a persistent source of pride for employees who are puzzled by the low ratings and frustrated by what they say is a leadership vacuum.

It is shaping up to be a different story this year. CNN's two main rivals Fox News and MSNBC have gained viewers in the past year, compared with the same period in the 2008 presidential cycle, while CNN has lost them, according to Nielsen Media Research.

Mediaite just posted this audio clip of Rush Limbaugh talking about the problems at CNN. We're not Limbaugh fans in any way, shape or form but he does have some interesting observations.

We've done many, many a post trying to tell CNN what the viewers want, maybe someday they will finally listen?

44 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Jeff Bewkes does not play. He uses colorful wordsand will clean house at CNN. Question : how longhas the clock been ticking ? Did it began in Aprilor did it start in May and ends in June. I wonderwho is on the short list to run CNN. Chris Licht,Richard Wolff., any others. He will have to be astrong leader and uplift the morale at CNN.

If Jeff Bewkes means business and takes the information being reported by a paper of standing such as the LA Times, he will clean house from top to bottom and that includes 360.Cleaning house means you do away with everybody...no body is saved.You charge in like Fox would under Roger Ailes leadership, and ax everyone and start fresh.You create stars, not just one star, and then use your talent wisely.Not one talent and have everyone jump around that one person.That is why CNN is failing.MSNBC created MANY stars. Rachel Maddow is one amongst a few, so if she fails, and she wouldn't, then all is not lost.When you put ALL your eggs in ONE basket, you deserve to fail big time.

Time is not on CNN's side. CNN does need a plan and leadership. No wonder CNN does nothave a lot of edited video like MSNBC shows. Whylay off videographers & editors. TV is visual. Thatexplains the heavy reliance on talking heads.

My favorite show is Anderson, but he should not be on two time periods. He and Wolf really are the only ones who are safe. I do think maybe they should move Piers Morgan to the 10:00 P.M. EST time slot. I wish they would bring back Michael Ware.

I'm so happy that this is finally all coming out in the open! Hopefully this will mark the beginning of major changes at CNN. I miss how CNN was and I have faith they will return to what they once were hopefully.

CNN needs to be completely relaunched as a news network with a new look, new shows, and some different anchors. Wolf Blitzer and Anderson Cooper are good to stay in my opinion. I wish Anderson Cooper though would concentrate more on CNN rather than his talk show. I miss it when he travels around the world. CNN has a great new studio that launched two years ago in Atlanta and will have a great new studio in Washington DC this Fall. Wolf Blitzer could host a new program called The CNN Command Center and Anderson Cooper could host a differently titled show than AC360º.

Also (and I cannot stress this enough), please stop over using "Breaking News". It shocks me how much this term is abused. If relaunched, CNN should begin using a different term for major news stories and use it ONLY at appropriate times.

Apparently, Piers Morgan is doing very well, but I strongly believe his show should air on Saturdays with a Sunday repeat. It's a good celebrity interview show, but I just don't understand why a talk show is placed face down in primetime between major news shows. I understand that Piers Morgan does do major news but it's not always.

The number one issue that everyone complains about and hopes will change is to PLEASE GET RID OF THE PUNDITS!

360 will be on CNN at 8 & 10 it is the top demohours for CNN. Trust me 360 is off his list. Thedemo is how they make money. No one will tellyou the problem is 360 not MSNBC not FNC. 360can top MSNBC in the demo sometimes. BesidesI think that is in reference to management. He did it at HBO & Time INC. Also, CNN should bejust like MSNBC don't let Rush Limbaugh controlyour network.

That does not mean 360 needs changes. Last nightthey went with no pundits. Good. At 8 & 10 havedifferent versions of 360. At 8 have the originalversion at 10 it is the 360 News Mix, Re-edited.A hipper version of the show. It has music for theopen pick the right song to set the tone. Haveit for bump music as well. Add some new storiesor interviews if you have them.

For example, Charges in the death of FAMUdrum major, we have an interview with themother of Robert Champion. News out ofSan Diego on the death of former NFL starJunior Seau, For days Chen was held up inthe US Embassy today he is in a hospitalwhat's going on, we will find out with StanGrant & Jill Dougherty all that and more. 360 starts now. This is possible with realtime edits ESPN does this all of the time.

Have pre-produced bumps with music thatteases what is coming up out of the breaks.

Update the live segments with Isha Sesayat 10 and yes pick a song that can be usedfor news.

TSR from 4-6 PM John King Joins the show,add an internet reporter and drop the CaffertyFile, as well as the news reader.

Do go with an evening newscast with David Muir. ABC has found a way to really connectwith viewers. Since he has been doing this forABC, naturally he can do the same for CNN.

7 PM the women's news show. NO POLITICSor pundits. 4 female journalists. Hanging outwith the girls talking the news and interestingtopics. The soundtrack is essential. Songs thatrelate to women from beginning to end. Eachday the playlist is different. Ashleigh Banfield,Isha Sesay, Betty Nguyen & hire someone fromUnivision for the 4th host. It can be CHiquinquira Delgado or Ana Patricia Gonzalez. You can'tleave Erin Burnett on the show. CNN start thisin June. Women are the majority. Find a wayto get them to watch CNN. Have an good mixof music to bring in women 18- 80. Heck,even the guys can watch. You can have so muchfun with this show. You can show interactionwith the hosts and have mini movies throughoutthe show. For example, you can have a groupof guys talking about getting together to watcha ball game. 1 guy says I have to skip. He is going home to watch the show with his girl.When A Man Loves A Woman can be the songin the background. This is the type of showwhere creativity can thrive.

Let's face it .CNN will need someone who iship and cool to go up against Rachel Maddow.Strombo would be a safe choice and he wouldbe live with a studio audience.

If CNN is looking for a brand new 11 PM show.It's gotta be Aisha Tyler.

From 9 AM to Noon go with a Wire type dramaformat. You see the news coming together.You see anchors, reporters, etc putting it alltogether. You get the conversation and seehow the news plays out. Even follow reportersas they are working stories you will see on CNN. Kyra Phillips, Suzanne Malveaux andBrooke Baldwin. Stop having people just readscripts fro the anchor desk.

Have news trailers for and interviews thathighlight what you will see on CNN. You would see them on TV, web and social media

CNN has to look and feel different. You hirethe new breed of journos who write , shoot& edit their own stories and mix it in withthe traditional reporting you see on CNN.Hire producer/editors. CNN has got to makethe switch to a news content provider.

Walton says OutFront has generated "internal energy and passion." He thinks current ratings don't yet indicate that Burnett's audience will continue to grow. BREAKING NEWS: NOBODY IS WATCHING HER SHOW BECAUSE IT SUCKS!

PMT is not doing very well. He is getting creamedby TRMS. Piers Morgan is down double digits. Hein not matching up well against Rachel. So far thisweek he is actually dropping down from 360. Theproblem points are Starting Point, Jk, USA & OutFront and dayside. When somebody drops thenames of Soledad O'brien, Erin Burnett & PiersMorgan, that is no accident Jeff Bewkes runs TimeWarner. He does not need the LA TImes to tell himwhat is going on. he has data they will never see.

I think you make a good point about Piers being a weekend show. Pop culture stuff is fine but it doesn't seem to fit in primetime news. It just seems like a leftover habit from the Larry King days. CNN should stick to news in the evenings. Most importantly, CNN needs to rebuild their brand again. They need to be THE objective news channel that asks the tough questions on behalf of the general public. Be tough, brave, fair, FIERCE!!! They don't need to go the opinion route - there is a market for straight news. Hold politicians feet to the fire (both sides), expose corruption and tyranny abroad, question and probe America's revered institutions and corporations to make sure leaders are held accountable. Don't just repeat the talking points of paid spokesholes. Confront, investigate, push, question - CNN needs to revive a brand of smart, fair, tough journalism. Ingredients are there but CNN lacks clear leadership. Anderson is coasting, Burnett is antithetical to everything CNN SHOULD stand for, John King has been swallowed up by lame pundits, ditto that for Soledad, and Piers has his moments but he is highly inconsistent and too much time on has been celebs (really Piers, Ryan O'Neal, what a has-been). The decline of CNN leaves a real opportunity for any enterprising new media company to launch a serious news channel - CBS, are you interested?

CNN needs to take their time and get it right.The last thing they need are more Out Frontsand Starting Points . I wonder if Starting Pointwould work if the CNN reporters replace thepundits. Rotate reporters from CNN, CNN I.A celebration of journalism that highlightsstories in news, papers, internet , magazines,documentaries, film, the arts. Smart talk andconversation are gaining popularity. Breakfastwith pundits has got to go. CNN could startthat next week. Soledad & her colleagues. Tryit. Could they do any worst than pundits. A show like this would be a better competitorup against Morning Joe. No yelling or talkingover each other. End the show with stories youwill hear about later that day and some storiesreporters think are being ignored. Test it forthe rest of the month to see what happens. Away of modernizing the rich CNN tradition.Which is smart, informative news. Not partisanbickering that viewers have clearly tired of onCNN. Viewers don't like the lack of news. FOX& MSNBC are down too. CNN alienated their viewers who did not go to FOX or MSNBC.

CNN is such a strong brand that it does nothurt them financially. CNN is immune for years.This is going to take years to fix. The knifes are certainly out for Jim Walton.

That is hilarious and completely right. CNN catches flak for going left or going right. Truth is, they've gone stupid and that is the problem. They have become so timid, fearful of offending someone, they have managed to offend everyone. If Burnett is your primetime kickoff than she damn well better have primetime anchoring skills during breaking news or big events. She doesn't have those skills and we all know it. CNN gave her a plumb position of being one of THE faces of CNN primetime and she can't moderate a debate, she can't handle breaking news, she can't anchor big election coverage. In an election year where the economy is the biggest issue, she lacks the capacity to connect with viewers on basic economic stories! WTF, CNN?

CNN is a part of a huge media global mediacompany. There are so many components ofTW. Phil Kent is Jim Walton's boss. Walton isKen Jautz's boss. It sounds like Phil Kent hasbeen told to find a new management team .At the same time they are giving Walton andJautz perhaps 6 weeks to fix this. TW earningand revenues are up. Including revenue fromCNN. The report cam out on this week alongwith CBS , Viacom & Comcast. Time Warner isa monster and CNN has been ignored too long.Jeff Bewkes does not have time to be involvedin the day to day operations at CNN. The folksin charge have to do their jobs.

CNN just repeats the Romney or GOP talking pointsof the day. Even their slogans. Mitt Romney has notbeen involved in business more than a decade. It's a completely different world. CNN will let the GOPget away with the Jimmy Carter line knowing it ishistorically inaccurate. CNN told us that same crapthat Bush was a business man so he knew how torun the economy. It turned out not to be true.Youcan not say Romney would do a better job on theeconomy. CNN is giving him a free pass .

This is probably the last thing management is worried about, but I hate the weekends. I hate how they only have three anchors for the whole day. Three hours of Randi, Fredericka and Don Lemon is way too much.

The bottom is falling out at CNN. The ratingsfor Wednesday are bad. What is gong on withthe shows ? Too many shows are crumbling allat once. CNN can't afford to drop 360. It is theonly thing it has going for it right now. CNNcould do that women's show Monday. Juststart it with Ashleigh, Isha. Alina & Thelma..Somebody needs to be on a plane to Canadaright now to get George. Piers is sinking. Itwill take some time to get Betty and one ofthe ladies from Univision. Maybe if viewersdon't see Erin Burnett or hear the words OutFront, they won't skip CNN.

What is wrong with CNN. 360 leads with amade up story designed to as an excuseto lead with pundits. Obviously CNN thinksthe viewers are wrong. or their goal is tocontinue to run viewers away.. On top ofthat Anderson took Romney's statementon China as though it had zero to to withpolitics. We were so upset by TiananmenSquare we moved our manufacturing baseto China. This is not going to affect theU.S. election. Hello CNN it is 2012. BesidesI'm not sure I would believe everythingcoming out of Chen's mouth, Chineseauthorities are letting him talk to outsiders,I have a feeling that there are some secrettalks going on that nobody knows aboutand CNN will look stupid. Hello, they can'ttalk about ongoing talks with the Chinesegovernment.

CNN is a news channel. It should report the news, not just let the pundits talk about it. There's FNC and there's MSNBC for talk. CNN should be smart and use its journalists to do their job - report the news. Not just from around the US, but from around the world too. That's the only solution, no personality can fix the ratings if the content is dumbed down. And let Oprah do shows for women, CNN should report the news for everyone, all the time. Isha Sesay and the likes are just a byproduct of this fundamentally wrong approach and she'll be gone as soon as the winds of change start to blow. Wolf and AC are spine of CNN's credibility, there are some who could adapt to an inevitable new reality, but Erin, Piers, Isha, Brooke and vast majority of other star wannabes have no place on a serious news channel. Experience and field work is what makes a star in journalism. Most of these people have never really got out of their offices. Things are about to change. Can't wait.

Isha Sesay has anchored the news on CNN International for years. I am talking abouta women's news show not Oprah. Are youtelling me that Christiane Amanpour, IshaSesay and Jill Dougherty can't have a smartconversation on the the diplomatic dancewith China that Anderson completely messed up last night. GMA breaks news ona possible solution, Morning Joe is talkinghow Mitt Romney's statement was bad . Iwonder if having CNN talent spend timewith pundits has affected their journalistinstincts. When you have dumbed downquestions you get dumbed down talk anduseless information. You also are less likelyto do research and be factual.

I could easily use The Beatles Work it Outor the Stevie Wonder version of the song orArvil Lavinge Complicated to put togethera piece on the situation. Video content isimportant is will be vital to CNN. A monthlyjobs report comes out later today. I can usea song American Worker by the Bus Boys. itwould be a news show. You use story-tellingand music to convey the story. CNN has toembrace different styles of news and stopusing the outdated pundit model. News would be at the core of rebuilding CNN.All networks have to deal with the changingdemographics in America. You don't ignorewomen who are the majority. NO politics.You can have fun doing the news. You arehanging out with your girls talking news.

Ashleigh Banfiled, Isha Sesay & Alina Choare journalists.

Strombo is a news show. He has even satdown for an interview with Hillary Clintonand many other heavyweights. He even does docs for the CBC

I agree Erin Burnett and Piers Morgan weremistakes.

You are right about Soledad going with thejournalists on Starting Point. Right now sheis talking the situation in China with 3 punditswho are not qualified on the topic. That is whyCNN is in trouble.

What are you talking about ? Isha Sesay has a verybright future at CNN. She is on CNN Internationaland has anchored the Sit Room with Wolf Blitzerduring the Japan quake. Also, she has handled breaking news at 10 on AC 360. She is a news anchor. I DVR her show each day.

It don't get the news executives at CNN. Whywould you go with pundit talk on a visual medium ?Shouldn't we be visually experiencing the news.CNN it is all about the video. Think about it. Wecan watch a movie, video ,play games or listento music on phones. Yet CNN expects us to watch boring pointless opinion.

Isha Sesay can't be grouped with Piers Morganand Erin Burnett. She is an international anchorand journalist. They are not in her league.

I worry that CNN is losing it's international status.360 is seen all around the world. Anderson lostsome credibility with the report on China.. NickKristoff kept saying if and said his sources toldhim that Chen told Amb Locke that he wanted toleave. CNN looks like American Idiots abroad. Dofacts matter anymore to CNN.

I'm not going to reveal my gender in this comment, but why is it I am always reading comments that suggest a woman's show on CNN primetime? Honestly, on a major news network, I don't want to see a group of people sitting at a table talking about the news. You are copying The View and The Talk, even if it's not the same format. This is CNN. CNN's primetime ratings are just as bad as their daytime ratings. Also, there are female anchors all day long from 5AM until 4PM, and then again at 7PM as well as Isha Sesay incorporated into AC360º at 8 and 10PM. I'm tired of all the 'women should be in primetime' comments. I don't feel it would make a difference. Also, CNN will never hire George S. Yes, he is good with news, but he isn't the sit in a suit and do hard news type. I don't want to see famous-figure interviews, that's why I don't want to see Piers Morgan. If they must keep him though, move him to weekends. I love the format of Al Jazeera, and wish CNN would return to that format. The best thing for primetime would be to not incorporate a persons name into the show title. It works for "The Situation Room".

There is an article on the internet that talks about how CNN's problem is with their anchors. Anderson is the only one that has any sort of a following. Fox and MSNBC have many on their channels that people relate to. I think there is a lot of truth to this.

Ted Turner sums it up best CNN should be newscentered and not politically centered. You nevergive up your strength . CNN could provide a tonof content if they invest in resources. You get itall in the NYT all you have to do is to look at thepaper. You get news, global news, sports, art,music and entertainment. That and NPR would bea great model for CNN He hits the nail right on thehead. CNN is more partisan bickering than actualreporting. You can see basic journalism skills aregoing down at CNN. It's simple you can't replacereporters with pundits. You are suppose to befreaking CNN not FNC or MSNC. Viewers are demanding better journalism from CNN or elsethey are not watching.

I have no problem with Betty Nguyen, Isha Sesay,Ashleigh Banfield & Chiquinquira Delgado doinga women's news show on CNN at 7. It is abouttime and is long overdue. CNN has to changeand adapt. I still would want Isha Sesay to beon 360. She is good and got much positive presswhen she was on TSR.

Summer is fast approaching. Graduation, movies,travel,etc. CNN is out of touch to be so heavy onpolitics during the summer. There should be more fun news.

GMA gets what people are doing in the morning.They now have DJ Friday. There is a reason theyare catching up to Today. They are not trying tobe like them. They are doing their own thingwith Robin, George, Sam, Josh & Laura.

BS. Have you noticed any changes at CNN. The pundits are still playing games and CHH has theanchors actually say time to play. Brooke Baldwinis failing because the show is all about crime. Howridiculous can CNN. Reporter Roulette . That showis horrible. It is s dumb display of branding. Do yousee Rachel Maddow using slogans like Keeping themhonest or Digging Deeper. Drop the dumb slogansand pundits. CNN is using pundits for keeping themhonest. If that is not defeating the purpose I don'tknow what is. 360 World View & Bulletin are finebut CNN is a hot mess.

Recently I started watching Dylan Ratigan and Iwonder if he is beating TSR. He can get a littlehyper at times and act like he knows how to fixall of our problems but wht I like about him is hetries to look at things in a human perspective and less political. Wow. that blew me away thatthere was someone on cable news doing this. Hesays in a nation of 350 million you don't tellpeople what they think and feel.. Dylan has oneconomists as guests. Wolf's got pundits withpolitical spin on a jobs report that won't mattermore than the ones to come out closer to theelection. It's the arrogance of CNN in thinking how we talk and react to news or how we talkabout the news with each other. Can you saydisconnect ? They just don't get it. CNN hasbeen lost in Pundit Land so long that they'velost all sense of reality.

The situation is getting bleaker for CNN.Nothing is changing because CNN is notmaking changes. CNN could stop using pundits today if they wanted along withthe stupid questions. See what happenswhen 360 leads with pundits. Nobodywatches or care.

What is going on with Wolf ? TSR ratingsare usually not that low. Boy, JK, USA &Out Front are in the 200,000's. Get TedTurner back there now. May could bemuch worst than April.

Last night TRMS lead with a big story that CNNcompletely ignored. J.T. Ready who was alwayson Lou Dobbs railing against immigration. Killed4 people and himself. One of the victims was a16 month old baby. FBI & Terrorism Joint Forceand the US Military were called in for items foundin the house. Barrels of military grade chemicalswere found. They are trying to determine whatis this stuff. She had an interview with a localreporter . In other words someone who knewthe story and could offer insights.

The lead story on 360 was Anderson Cooperpicking a fight with Move On. It was clearlya dumb stunt that went nowhere. Looking atthe ratings it is past time for Anderson Cooperto knock it off. I think Cenk on Current mighthave beaten Out Front in the demo Thursday.Definitely had to beat John King. Cenk's setreminds me of the old 360 set. The 360 set heis using now makes the show look stiff. Youdon't get the feeling that Anderson Cooperis talking to you he is too busy staging a fake fight. That is making 360 a turnoff.He was beaten badly by Rock Center. WatchMSNBC is going to start running Rock Centerup against CNN on weekends.

It is a women's news show . I can't watch theVIew. The Talk has civil conversation and whatI like best NO POLITICS. I use them as examplesof a demographic that any media company willneed for it's future survival. With CNN it is theway they portray women. They don't give themthe opportunity to be smart. a good interviewer,well informed multi-faceted individual. Theyhave to pal around with pundits, work with badcontent. At MSNBC it's the total opposite RachelMaddow, Alex Wagner & Melissa Harris Perryare all providing MSNBC with a ratings lift. Bythe way women are huge news consumers. It isabout growing your audience with an ethnicallydiverse group of female journalists that youcan hang out with each night . You are invitedand welcomed at 7 PM on CNN. Betty Nguyen,Isha Sesay, Ashleigh Banfield and ChiquinquiraDel Gado are journalists. I am a huge news fan.

For Example, try this open. You hear the wordswhen I was just a little girl, followed by soundfrom HRC on Chinese dissent Chen. 1 of thehosts says. 2 international players have reacheda possible resolution when it comes to the manwho is currently the world's most dissident..Next, another host says homeles, abandonedHarvard bound. In this graduation season wehave the story of this future Crimson freshman.Next, If you are under 16 and too skinny you arenot EN VOGUE.. Then you cut to video of the 4ladies talking about other news items, there'sblank and blank. It's definitely time to get yournews on because ________________. The last wordsare the title of the show. Que Sera Sera playsuntil they get to talking with you about the news.CNN has to to get into a we mindset. CNN talentand the viewers.

In this day and time you also have to have asocial media presence. Going to all commercialsengage your viewers. For example CInco De Mayo..Have an edited feature of a bartender giving youthe top 3 margarita recipes. Have one of thehost say go to the website, FB, Twitter or Pinterest to send us your recipes.

Same thing goes for the Kentucky Deby. Doa segment horse racing and fashsion. Inviteviewers to go to the website and put together a Derby. Outfit. You can only imagine howmuch those hat cost. Have it so that you canput together an outfit and find out how muchit would cost.

For 1 other bump. You can Highlight thatMay 4th is Star Wars Day. But with a differenttwist . Who would be you Star Wars date ?Han Solo, Datth Vader, Luke, Yoda. At theend of the show have the results.

All of the bumps have music too as well as theend of the show. It is called ___________. ALLof the hosts bring a new story to the table thatwas not on the show. Each get 30 seconds.

Strombo is the best choice to go up against Rachel. it is live with a studio audience . Sortof like the Daily and he is very creative and astrong interviewer. TRMS has interviews. Hehas been described as a cross between thelate Peter Jennings and James Dean. He comeson after the 8 PM edition of 360.. The 360Remix airs at 10.

Toss to 360. CNN has to create shows & contentthat viewers want.CNN has to have tangible proofthat they are making changes, evolving . The1st network to make the news 24/7 is about tocreate another revolution in cable news.

We are talking about one hour. Who says womencan't do a hard news show. what happens on slownews days. You have to have shows that people want to watch daily. Nothing is working for CNN.Try something different. Do you ever see any adsfor beauty products, hair products, shoes or clotheson cable news. A show like this could mean millionsfor CNN. Advertisers would jump on this right away. Isha, Betty & Ashleigh are capable of doingbreaking news. Music can enhance hard news. Takea look at the lineup. Suppose this turns out to bea show that actually gets a million viewers. CNN isin serious trouble. This is something CNN couldstart on Monday, CNN needs a show that can create buzz. This would easily do this. Let's seethere is Morning Joe, Now, Chris Hayes & MHP.Sure they are not based on the View & Talkformat. You just give it your own take. Is therea show like this on cable news for women, themajority population. Cable news has to stopignoring women.

David Muir is on at 6 PM

The ladies are on at 7 PM

360 is on at 8 & 10 PM

George Stroumbouloopoulos on at 9 PM

The pundits have to go but CNN does needto find new and innovative ways to bring usthe news.

Move Morning Express to CNN and have it on from 5AM to 9AM (replacing Early Start and Starting Point) but rename it slightly to Morning News Express, hosted by Robin Meade of course. It gives her 4 solid hours rather than her 6 on HLN. Rename the CNN Newsroom to 'The News' considering the new Atlanta studio which debuted two years ago doesn't look like the classic newsroom used anymore. Have Kyra Phillips host The News from 9AM to 11AM. Have Alina Cho host The News from 11AM to 1PM. Have Fredricka Whitfield host The News from 1PM to 3PM, and have Ashleigh Banfield host The News from 3PM to 5PM as the lead in for Wolf Blitzer. All these anchors are very professional and great at what they do in my opinion. Zoraida Sambolin and Erin Burnett have to go. Brooke Baldwin is better as a technology/pop culture corespondent, Suzanne Malveaux is better as a political correspondent, and John King is better as a political correspondent and to appear with the Magic Wall throughout the day. I love the idea someone in a previous comment came up with to have Wolf Blitzer host The CNN Comand Center replacing The Situation Room (considering a new studio is being built for him). Having him host it from 5PM to 8PM as someone previously commented as a lead in for Anderson Cooper seems like a fantastic idea. I read in a comment weeks ago that AC360º should be renamed to CNN360º. Love the idea of having Anderson Cooper host from 8PM to 10PM along with Isha Sesay who should be given a bigger role in his program. And finally from 10PM to 12AM, have Soledad O'Brien and Tom Foreman host the return of CNN Tonight! (A show that was on for a while after the departure of Lou Dobbs). It would be nice to have CNN International broadcast from 12AM to 5AM.

As for weekends, I enjoy Randi Kaye in the mornings. Have her host 'Weekend Early News' along with The News. Carol Costello in the afternoons hosting The News would be great, and Don Lemon hosting The News in the evenings is great. Keep Fareed Zakaria, Sanjay Gupta, Howard Kurtz, and Ali Velshi with their weekend shows as well as Candy Crowley but rename State of the Union to something else becuase it can get confusing with the real thing. Piers Morgan should host Piers Morgan Interviews on weekends focusing primarily on pop culture and not politics or breaking news.

I think you have a fundamental misunderstanding of the meaning of news channel. It's supposed to inform the public, it's supposed to have real journalism, journalists REPORTING, not talking about the news. That's what CNN is lacking cause the pundits have taken over everything and everything is reported from a political perspective, as if politics is the only area where anything is happening. You can argue that CNN is ignoring women's issues, but having four women talking about the news won't solve it. Heck, most of CNN's regular anchors are women already, aren't they? And playing Que Serra Serra while talking about a major international crisis would be completely nuts. "Que Serra Serra, Whatever will be, will be"? And then you talk about a guy (Chinese dissident) whose LIFE is in danger? Seriously?

CNN and Anderson Cooper have one thing in common.They have both lost credibility, and once you've lost credibility and become a laughing stock, it is hard to "retool" and get it all back.Just look at 60 Minutes. Cooper did Phelps again. Fluff. Did he do foreign affairs, economics, the POTUS, anything that would bring credibility back to his reporting??He has become the elephant in the room and everyone talks around the issue, but fails to say he is as bad as the cable channel he works for.It does not matter what schedule you devise or who you bring in, Canadian or women, if you don't clean house, top to bottom, CNN will fail.

96,000 viewers were watching Anderson Cooper at 10PM Friday.And you really think that HE is not part of the problem????Oh right. It's his lead in that is making viewers not watch him.Or else they would.Folks get real.It is time clean house.top to bottom.